The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Tech Helitbule’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in January 2002 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The female parent was ‘LOB03-114-1’, a light blue proprietary lobelia line (unpatented), while the male parent was ‘LOB02-14-2’, a blue proprietary lobelia line (unpatented).
The seeds produced by the pollination were sown in March 2003. A single plant selection was chosen for further evaluation and for asexual propagation in July 2003.
The new cultivar was created in 2002 and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif., and Andijk, The Netherlands over a three and a half year period. The plant has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif., Andijk, The Netherlands and Hillscheid, Germany. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied for with the European Union on Nov. 13, 2006.